Machine-gun.



Patented Aug. 29, |899. E. M. CAPPS.

M A C H l N E G U N.

(Application led Aug. 1S, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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Nr M l* No. 632,098. Pmnted Aug. 29, 1899.

E. M. CAPPS.

MACHINE GUN.

(Application led Aug. 18, 1898,) (No Model.) 5 Sheeis-Sheet 2.

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Patented,4 Aug. 29, |899.

E. M. lcAPPs.

MACHINE GUN.

(Application med Aug. 18, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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Patented Aug. 29, |899. E. M. CAPPS.

MACHINE GUN.

(Application led Aug. 18, 1898.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

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No. 632,098.v K Patented Aug. 29, |899.

E. M. CAPPS.

MACHINE GUN.

(Application tiled Aug. 1S, 1898.) (No Model.)

/A/VEA/oh7 Ey MW@ ATTORNEYS.

W/TNESSES m66@ EINVIN MORRIS OAPPS, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE-GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,098, dated August 29, 1899. Application filed August 18,1898. Serial No. 688,877. (No model.)

T0 all wiz/0m, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN Monats CAPPS, of San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Machine-Gun, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to improvements in rapid-firing machine-guns; and it more particularly refers to guns of this type having the barrel and firing mechanism arranged to operate in conjunction with the cartridgeholders, having a series of cartridges arranged to be successively fed into a firing position.

Primarily this invention seeks to provide a gun of this character of an inexpensive but stable construction which can be easily manipulated and be effective in its operation.

Another object of this invention is to produce a novel form of barrel and firing mechanism and automatically-fed cartridge-holders designed to fire any of the ordinary form of military cartridges in which a premature firing of the cartridges is rendered impossible and in which the non-explosion of any of the cartridges will not in any way clogor impede the proper firing action of the gun. l

This invention also comprehends in con nection with the firing mechanism a novel form of sighting means designed to find the range by stadia measurement.

Another feature of this invention lies in the peculiar and novel form of cartridge carrier or holder.

In its subordinate features this invention embodies certain novel features of construction and peculiar combination of parts, which will be first described in detail and then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved gun, illustrating the manner of sighting and firing the same. Fig. 2 is a front perspective View of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, the parts being shown in a position just ready for firing, the chock-block being shown elevated in dotted lines by the cam on the crank-shaft. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section of the gun, the parts being in a position shown in Fig. 3, the crankshaft and liring-spring being shown in a firing position in( dotted lines. Fig. is a central longitudinal section, the chock-block being elevated Y and the barrels shown out at their foremost position. Fig. 6 is a plan view, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7is a rear elevation of the gun, the crank-shaft being at a ring position. Fig. 8 is a detail section illustrating the cartridge-holder catcher mechanism. Fig. 9 is a transverse section taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrow X. Fig. l0 is a similar view taken on the line 9 9, looking in the direction indicated by the arrowT Y. Fig. 1l is a detail view of the forward sight. Fig. I2 illustrates the construction of the cartridgeholder in detail, as also the method of clamping the cartridges to the holder-plate. Fig. 13 is an enlarged view of a portion of the firing-shaft, showing the stepped-like arrangement of the segmental grooves.

In its general construction my improved machine-gun comprises a suitable stand or base on which is pivotally supported the gunstock, so fulcrumed that its breech end normally drops by gravity, such stock having, if

desired, an adjustable stop-rest to limit thel downward drop of the said breech end.

IVhile my improved gun may include but a single firing-barrel, yet it is manifest in the practical embodiment of my invention a series of horizontallyarranged barrels 3 5 7 9 or more are employed, and these toY render the tiring-gun more effective are so arranged that the central barrel fires straight ahead and the side barrels so deflected or divergingly arranged to produce fire-spreading-z'. e., the bullets would be, say, two feet apart at one hundred yards and four, feet apart at two hundred yards or separated proportionately at such distances as may be desired and determined during the manufacture of the gun.

The stock is so pivoted that the gun will fire at any angle of depression or elevation from eighty degrees above or below the horizontal, and to facilitate the firing action the body of the gun has a supplemental stock portion" having a dummy barrel and a shoulder-rest, said supplement-al portion serving the double function of a sighting member and also a rest,

whereby the gunner can steady the machine I with his shoulder and one hand while he op-' crates the firing-crank with the otherv hand.

53 esaes The firing mechanism and the cartridgefeed are effected by a single operating crankshaft having differential operating members, whereby the barrels are reciprocated and the cartridge-holder catcherdevices manipulated at predetermined intervals to feed the series of cartridges in line with the breech of the barrels ready for firing and then as the barrels move forward operate the cartridgeholder catcher to admit of such holders dropping into position to bring the next row or series of cartridges to a ring position, such holder after all of the cartridge-rows have been ired discharging from the gun by gravity. In the practical operation of my gun one man sights and fires while another feeds the holders and the third supplies the ammunition when the maximum capacity of the gun is required.

Referring now to the details of construction as illustrated in the drawings, in which like letters and numerals indicate like parts in all the figures, 1 represents a base or standard which in practice may be mounted on a suitable tripod, as shown in Fig. 1, or it may be mounted on a two-wheeled carriage.

The gun-stock, which is pivoted to the standards 2 of the base 1, at a point forward of its center of gravity, comprises the two similarlyconstructed sideA frames 3, fulcrumed on the cross-bolt 4, as shown, or provided with trunnions adapted to journal in the upper ends of the standards 2. The barrels 5 are disposed horizontally between the side frames 3 and are bolted or otherwise secured at their nozzle ends to the sliding cross block or head 6, the ends of which rest and slide in elongated bearing-slots 3 on the forward ends of the side frames 3, while their breech ends are similarly secured in the transverse slide-block 7, the ends of which project through and slide in elongated slots 3b on the rear end of the side frames 3, the outer ends of such block 7 terminating in cam-engaging abutments 7a, such blocks 7 also having a series of longitudinal seats 7b on the upper face--one for each cartridgewhich seats are formed between vertical extensions 7, the purpose of which Will presently appear. The outer ends of the block 7 have rearward extensions or slide-bars 7 d fitting in horizontal grooves 3l in the said frames 3, and in the rear ends of such bars is secured a transverse rod 8, the ends 8L of which extend beyond the bar 7(l to engage the crankshaft cams presentlyV described. At a point aboutinline with theirfulcrum theside frames 3 are joined by a stock cross member 9, which receives the direct firing shock and also forms an upper guide for the breech end of the barrels, such member 9 also forming in connection with the movable block portion presently referred to the stop or lock member of the stock to hold the barrels to a fixed and true position during the firing operation.

The movable lock member is in the nature of a chock-block, and consists of a verticallyswinging frame, the side arms 10a of which are pivoted at 10b to the front end of the sides 3. The block 10 and the transverse brace-rod 10c, which connects the rearend of the arms 10L and also forms a lift member, as the ends 10d thereof are adapted to be engaged by the crank-shaft cams.

13 indicates the crank or firing shaft, which is journaled transversly in the rear end of the side frames 3. On this shaft at each end is mounteda cam-disk 14, which disks have a tripple-operating action in a single rotary movement as they at predetermined intervals engage and operate, first, to lift the chockblock to permit the forward slide movement of the barrel; second, in their engagement with the abutments 7a, and, third, in their engagement with the ends of the cross-bar 8. The crank-shaft 13 partially rotates in the socket 15a in the rear of the solid back end 15 of the stock, in which the firing needles or pins 16 are located and which maybe of any approved construction, they having the usual retractile springs 16', it being understood that the needles 16 are arranged to be driven into the primers of the cartridges when acted on by the impact or firing fingers 17, of which there is one for each firing-needle.

The tiring-fingers 17 consist each of a very stiff spring-plate secured at their outer ends to the back piece 15, as shown, it being understood that instead of being formed of extended members such fingers 17 may be in the nature of comb-like teeth formed on a single spring-plate, if desired, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7. The upperendsof the spring' plates 17 bear against the crank-shaft in line with the correspondin gl y-arran ged transverse segmental grooves 18 formed therein, the slip ends 18a of which are in the nature of knife edges and have a differential or stepped relation to each other, whereby the plates 17 will slip inward in rapid succession and not simultaneous, such opel'ation being provided to reduce the recoil action to less than that of an ordinary musket.

The rear or back wall 15 is extended upward and terminates at the ends in side guides 19, having hopperlike throats 19CL ending in verticalV grooves 19h, the front wall of which may have one or more friction-rolls 20 to facilitate the ready drop of the cartridge-holder, the ends of which are. held to slide down through the grooves 19h, which, as will be clearly noticed from Fig. 11, open at the bottom to permit a free discharge in the holder.

As before stated, my improved tiring mechanism can be adapted to fire anyof the ordinary forms of military cartridges.

To provide for a positive and true feed of the cartridges in line of firing, I prefer to employ a holder or carrier having a peculiar and novel means for securing the cartridges thereto, which, however, involves a slight IOO IIO

change of the cartridge-shell construction to adapt its being conveniently and fixedly connected to the holder.

The cartridge-holder proper consists of a thin sheet-steel (mild or medium) plate 2l of a width to freely slide within the side grooves 19b and of a length to carry a number of rows of cartridges, (preferably 10,) which are so spaced as to be readily projected into the breech of the gun-barrels after the holder is fed in place and the barrels moved back to the firing position. In the manufacture of the holders holes are punched therein by suitable machinery at exact distances apart, corresponding to the separation of the chambers in the gun-barrels, the punch action being so produced as to raise thimbles around the holes in the plate, as indicated at CL in Fig. l2. The cartridges, which have their shell of a peculiar design, as will presentlyappear, are then pushed through the holes in the holder from the thiinble side until their rims rest on the rim of the hole-thimble. After all of the holes in the holde'r have been thus filled with cartridges the plate and contained cartridges are then placed in a female dielplate B, having suitable sockets and aperturcs for the cartridges. After thus set the plate is engaged by an upper or presser block A, having a series of steel plungers A', the inner ends of which are concaved to tit the rims of the cartridges and leave a space to protect the cartridge-primers. Pressure is then applied to the plungers A', which forces the thimble-rims of the plate into suitable annular grooves c, which at their rim end are somewhat reinforced. By providing such grooves it somewhat widens the rim of the cartridge over the regular military cartridge; but in other respects the cartridge shown is similar to the said ordinary military cartridge. The cartridge holder or plate has its sides provided with a series of apertures 23 in vertical alinement, and the apertures of the two series are also in the same horizontal alinement, one of such apertures at each end being provided for each row of cartridges. In practice the holders are slid into the grooveguides 19b from the top, and such holders are held by suitable catcher devices, which after each firing operation recede and allow the holder to drop one row by gravity.

To prevent the cartridge-holders from bending or buckling forward in case any of the exploded shells should swell or stick in the breech of the gun-barrels, causing a draft or haul on the cartridge-holders as they are moved forward, stop members in the nature of an upper and a lower set of rods SO SOa are provided, the upper set 80^of which are made fast to the cross member 9 of the stock, while the lower set are made fast to and project rearward from a cross-piece 90 under the barrels, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. These rods S0 SQEL pass rearward nearly in contact with the front face of the cartridge-holder and act as impacts or stops to prevent the'holders l buckling forward and hold it ltrue within its guides, and thus avoid all possibility of the holders dropping out of the guide-grooves and clogging the gun.

The catcher consists of a pair of fingers 24, projected inward through elongated vertical slots 25 in the rear wall l5 and secured to the rocker members 26, fulcrumed on the crossrod S and having their upper end normally forced rearward by the spring 27, secured to a fixed portion of the gun-stock, whereby the fingers 24 will be normally forced upward against the upper edge of the vertical slots 25, and be thereby held in a proper position to pass through the openings 23 in the holder.

So far as described the operation of the gun is best explained as follows: The holder is fed in the guide-grooves 19, and assuming the mechanism to be in a firing position the seats 7b in the cross-piece 7 will then be under the lowermost row of cartridges and form a rest therefor. As the crankshaft is rotated forward its cams will first engage the chockblock frame and elevate it sufficiently to allow the sea-t portions 7b of the cross-head 7 to pass under it (which seat portions then support the chock-block) as soon as the cams engage the abutment 7n and push the barrels forward. The moving of the barrels and abutment 7 forward carries the arms 7d and the cross-head Sin the same direction and in consequence pushes the fingers 24 forward into the lowermost aperture in the cartridgeholder. As soon as the cross-head 7 is moved forward sufficiently to pass through under the ends of the first row of cartridges supported thereon the holder will drop by gravity, it resting at this time on the fingers 24 until the lowermost row of cartridges are in line with the gun-barrels, the drop of such hold er being limited by the engagement of the fingers 24 with the lower wall of the slots 25. As soon as the cartridge-plate holder is thus dropped in position the cams in their rotation backward will engage the projecting ends 8a of the lcross-head 8 and in consequence pull the barrels and the fingers 24 rearward, it being understood that as the barrels are thus drawn rearward they will pass over the ends of the cartridges and thereby support the cartridgeholder as the fingers 24 are further drawn rearward from engagement with such holder. When the crank-shaft has been turned until its cams reach the position shown in Fig. 3, the chock-block will descend by gravity, accelerated by the action of the spring 29 in position between the fixed lock member and the vertical extension 7C, and thereby securely lock the barrels in a firing position. At this time the impact or spring fingers are in a position just about to engage the slip edges of the crank-shaft, it being obvious that a further slight rotatiou of the crank-shaft will permit the several spring-lingers to readily and successively slip and engage. the firingpins to fire the cartridges in that particular row projected into-the gu n-barrels` After fir- IOO IIO

ing a further rotation of the crank-shaft first raises the chock-block, then moves the barrels forward, and at the same time brings the fingers 24 through the next succeeding set of apertures in the cartridge-holders,which d uring this time is supported by reason of its second row of cartridges resting in the seats forming part of the cross member 7, such operation being repeated until the last row of cartridges in the holderhas been fired, when the withdrawal of the fingers 24 and the movement of the barrels inward allows suoli cartridge-holder, with the blank shells, to drop from the gun by gravity.

By constructing a firing mechanism as described it is obvious that the gun can be sighted at a depressionV or elevation as may be desired and the rear end of the gun steadied by the gunners shoulder and arm and the crank-shaft operated by his free hand. It will also be observed that by feeding the cartridges to A the firing mechanism in the manner described it will be impossible to fire the cartridges prem aturely,and,furthermore, should any of the cartridges fail to explode, such failure of explosion could not in any way affect the operation of the gun, as the unex- ,ploded cartridge would move out with the empty shells holder.

In i connection with my improved firing mechanism and supplemental stock for sighting and steadying the gun I provide a sighting means adapted to enable the gunner to properly sight the central barrel of the series of barrels. For this purpose a forward sight is mounted on the supplemental stock portion, which consists of a sight member 31, having a rectangular space 32 provided with a vertical wire 33 and a horizontal wire 34 crossing it, which are arranged similar to the wires of the engineers transit-telescope. 35 indicates a rear sight, which may be of any of the modernforms of peep-sights now in general use. In practice the gunner so sights that the central barrel will fire at the point of intersection of the wires, and the barrels on each side distribute their shots at equal distances apart on each side thereof and along the horizontal wire. This form of sight is also designed to find the range by stadia measurement, it being noticed by reference to the drawings that the upper and lower edges of the rectangular space in the forward sight has well-defined edges and that the horizontal wire is midway between them, as the distance between the forward and rear side remains the same, and the distances between the horizontal wire and the upper and lower edges of the spaces in the course of manufacture of the sight are so made as to just cover the average height of a man (five feet and ten inches) at, say, five hundred yards While peeping through the rear sight. Then by simple proportion the man would cover onehalf the space at one thousand yards and onethird the space-at fifteen hundred yards, te.

In using the gun the gunner places his eye to the aperture in the rear peep-sight and moves the gun vertically or horizontally, (it being understood that the base in practice is mounted to rotate on its bearing,) as the case may be, until either the upper or lower edge of the forward sight just cu ts along either the head or feet of the enemy. The gunner then by judgment calculates the portion of the space covered and adjusts the rear peep-sight accordingly. By again placing his eye to the aperture and moving the gun until the vertical wire cuts through the thickest of the enemy and the horizontal wire cuts along the line of the enemy the gun will be in the best position for effective results.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a machine-gun having a slidable barrel or barrels; a firing mechanism; a gravitydropped cartridge-holder; a retarding device for catching the said holder at predetermined intervals; a single operating crank-shaft hav- Ving means for sliding the barrels, operating the tiring mechanism and the cartridge-holder catcher device intermittently.

2. In a machine-gun, in combination with the reciprocal barrel; the firing mechanism and a crank-shaft for operating the barrel and ring mechanism, of the cartridge-holder movable between the barrel-breech and the firing-needle by gravity; the catcher devices operatively connected with the firing crankshaft and adapted to intermittently drop the holder to bring the successive rows of eartridges in line with the firing mechanism and barrels, as set forth.

3. A machine-gun; comprisingin colnbination a stock; the barrel slidably held thereon; the lock for iixedly holding the barrels when at a firing position and a firing mechanism including a crank-shaft disposed transversely on the stock; a cartridge-holder movable between the barrel breech and iiring mechanism, and a cam device on the crankshaft adapted to successively engage and lift the lock-rim and then engage the slidable barrels and force them forward, as and for the purposes described.

4. In combination with thestock having a transverse abutment; a lock member; the sliding barrels having a transverse lock member; the firing mechanism including the operating crank-shaft; the cartridge holder movable between the barrels and firing meollanism; the chock-block adapted to seat between the barrel lock member and the transverse lock member of the stock; a cam device on the crank-shaft for lift-ing the chockblock and sliding the barrels at predetermined intervals, as specified.

5. In a machine-gun of the character described, in combination with the stock and the reciprocal sliding barrels, said barrels having a transverse member at the breech end provided with seats held in line with the barrel; a ring mechanism including the IOO IIO

crank-shaft; the cartridge-holder guides; a cartridge-holder carrying rows of cartridges, said holder being movable in the guides and arranged so that its cartridge-rows will rest in the barrel-seats When the barrels are at their inner or firing position; means for preventing the holders from bending or buckling forward, a catcher device having operative connections with the crank-shaft and adapted to engage and support the cartridge-holder when the barrel-seats pass from under the cartridges and to be disengaged therefrom While the cartridges are beingsupported in the barrels as speciied.

6. In a machine-gun of the kind described, in combination; the stock the reciprocal sliding barrels; means for holding them locked p from movement When at a firing position, said barrels having attached pusher and pull members; a ring mechanism including a crank-shaft; a gravity-operated cartridgeholder; a catcher movable with the barrels for supporting the cartridge-holder in such position that the cartridges will enter the barrels as they move backward; cam mechanism on the crank-shaft for alternately engaging the aforesaid barrel pusher and pull member, substantially as and for the purposes described.

7. In a gun of the kind described, the combination With the slidable barrels; rear extensions slidable therewith; the transverse rod 8, mounted in such extensions, and the i ring mechanism including the crank-shaft, said shaft having means for reciprocating the barrels, and the extensions carrying the rod 8; of the gravity-drop cartridge-holder having cartridges secured thereon in rows, having apertures on the edges corresponding to the cartridge-rows; rock members mounted on the rod 8, having projecting iingers adapted to be extended through the edge apertures of the cartridge-holder, and means for normally moving the fingers to their upper position, substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

8. A machine gun of the character described, having a cartridge feeding and holding mechanism, comprising a plate having the cartridges projecting therethrough in clearly-defined rows; guideways open at the bottom for the discharge of the plate and the rocker devices governed by the firing mechanism operating-crank for lowering the holder or plate the distance between the cartridgerows at intermittent intervals as specified.

EDWIN MORRIS OAPPS.

Witnesses:

W. M. RUMSEY, A. F. CROWELL. 

